ice fishing for carp

[fish70]

Has anyone ever tried this? if so what and how did you do it?

[JiggerMan]

Fish 70,  

I have not caught a carp through the ice but i have caught a sucker or two.  I would love to try and battle a carp though.  during the summer they are one of the main species that i fish for, they are a blast to catch.  I will continue to whatch this thread to see what people say.  I love to catch one through the ice.

JiggerMan

[fish70]

jiggerman,

   I love fishing for carp during the summer. and as you said what a fight trying to get them in.. where are you from? I am from MA, and there is some great carp fishing although no one does it.. most of my freinds laugh, but once they hook their first one. they are junkies before the fishes first run is over!  think i am going to use 1 tip up this saturday with corn and see what happens.

[dogfish]

In all my ice fishing I have seen 2 carp come through the ice.  Both were guys jigging for gills (small jigs and grubs)

[Pop]

I love to catch carp in the open water.  I snagged a carp in the side of the tail two years ago.  I could lead it under the hole but not close enough to turn it up.  When I put a bit more pressure on the line the carp figured it was time to leave.  All I could do was watch the spool on the little reel go around.  It was time to change line anyway.

Pop

[grumpymoe]

carp can sure give you one heck of a battle, especially in moving water. have yet to see one caught through the ice. wonder where they are??? its not like we dont have any around.  

[fishmanj]

I enjoy fishing for carp, you can normally catch more and bigger carp a day then any other species in open water.  Ice fishing for them can be hard and I haven't tried it in a few years.  What I used to do was target them in small ponds that I would catch them in in the summer, this also increases your chance of catching someing because you're fishing a smaller body of water.  I would take the trusty can of corn and drop a small hand full down, I would then rig a tip up or jigging pull with a small shank hook baited with corn, use very little weight and drop it to the bottom.  You want just enough weight to take it down.  After I would get my lines set the wait would begin.  Some days were better then others but I would always get at least one or two.  Make sure if you're suing a jigging poll to have it anchored some how or you'll lose it if a carp takes it.  I'm sure with the modern carp fishig gear and bait this method could be changed to be a little more effective but this is what I did when I was younger and it worked.  Nothing like hooking a nice carp on a little jigging rod.

[seaweed01]

Iv'e caught a number of carp thru the ice fishing for walleyes in the Susquehanna river.  I usually use a jigging rapala tipped with a piece of minnow. Most of the time they are hooked in the mouth or just outside of it. So that tells me that they will feed some during the winter. In my opnion they do not give you much of a fight in the cold water, usually they will come up near the hole where you can either get them by hand or with a gaff. Warm water is different, it's like getting a tiger by the tail and holding on.

[royalfish]

Last year on a small river up here in NW IA they were all congregated below an old dam.  People would go out there and snag them.  Me and some friends were snowmobiling one day and witnessed this site.....5-6 ppl with treble hooks for about 2 hours pulled out about probably 400 carp.  One kid got lucky and snagged a #10 walleye.  I tried it and it was soo much fun I went back a couple times....it was like this for a good month or two.

[fishingking]

I have seen one carp caught through the ice maybe 5 lbs dont remember how big it was . That gives me an idea theres a small lake  by me that is just loaded with carp maybe ill give it a try and let you guys know if i got any. oh also Golden Shiners bite through the ice (early and Late ) that i know of and they are closely related to the carp

[Hman]

If you fellas like catching carp, you should try bowfishing for them!!!  talk about a blast.  There is nothing like putting an arrow through a 30lb carp and pulling it in like a tip-up.  Not to mention that it helps you practice with your bow when most people have a fishing rod in their hands.  I can't tell you how happy the bass, crappie, and walleye fisherman keep encouraging a group of us to keep shooting them.  Especially with these new flying carp that are moving up the Mississippi.   So if anyone around Wisconsin is interested once the ice finally breaks up, drop me a line.

[skulldugary]

Got one through the ice several years ago on Lake Erie on a jigging Rapala fishing for eyes,it was about 15 lbs.I thought it was a kick but walleye,one for the wall.Was kind of bummed when I seen it was a carp but it WAS a blast

[Herefishy]

Hman, where in Wi are you. I deffently agree about how much fun bow fishing is. I haven't seen them around me like we used to. I'm probally not looking hard enough.  though. About 10 years ago we got a really heavy rain and it flooded a local field with water and carp. Boy was that fun. I even had a cop stop by to see what I was doing.

[Hman]

I live in the La Crosse area next to the Mississippi River.  In late March and early April, we usually try to get out and look around.  I know that at the end of April and through-out May, a few of us get together and have a little tournament on the weekends.  It usually pays out big carp, big gar and total fish.  If your interested, keep in touch.  There is also a big tournament over in Green Bay.  I believe that is around the first weekend in June.  That pays out big bucks.

[Gusher]

My brother-in-law and I got a 28 pound Buffalo carp on a #6 Eagle Claw baited with maggots.  We had to drill 3 holes next to the original to get it out.  It was on hell of a fight, we thought we had snagged a beaver.  If you can get maggots, they last for a very long time under water and wiggle like crazy.  Hook them through the rear end.  I've never saved a carp because I consider them junk fish, but I have heard of some guys eating them.  If any of you guys have a good recipe for carp other than chowder I would like to know about it.